GAMBIT

The cold that seems mild at first now numbs his face and extremities. The residual heat he had absorbed in his cell is now gone, for it has been his buffer, but unwittingly the young man squanders it believing his jagged clothing is equal to the task of preserving his body heat.

With each breath, more heat rises in puffs of white vapor, with each gust of the wind entering the arc-shaped window more heat dissipates into the abyss of twilight.

The biting cold chills his fingers into clumsy numbness, the cold seeps into his toes and spread painfully throughout his feet as if it is his bare feet on a pristine icy whiteness rather than lush grass. His lips then turn into a more blueish hue and his teeth chatters like a pneumatic drill.

Quartz couldn't do anything but to bear the frost. It is a tremendous night for a young man who abruptly woke up on an unfamiliar locale.

Minutes turn into hours, and the sleepless night finally disperses. Steadily, the shadows and silhouettes return to their abode as the sun's galore twinkles fervently across the azure skies.

The color of snow painted upon his face slowly deteriorates thanks to the light begotten by the sun. His blood flows with ease, and the tensions on his veins finally loosens.

"Wake up." Jupiter's sudden voice seeps through Quartz's cell, causing Quartz to enter an unexpected shock.

"Proceed to the public bathhouse immediately and cleanse yourself. Father does not want any filthy rags walking around his palace." Jupiter instructs with an authoritarian voice. She unlocks the bars, and finally set Quartz free momentarily. The other prisoners are in shock and a pinch of jealousy shrouds them because of the actions of the princess.

"It would be more pleasing to me if you would answer my questions. I am in a crazed state, and the only thing I can do is to yearn for my father, my friend, and my home." Quartz utters with a drowsy tone. His eyes twitch, causing his sight to become blurry at times.

"The answers you seek for is with the man you will meet today. Both of you have similarities and resemblances. Now go and clean up, I still have to talk with these other prisoners, they'll be handy in case another siege commences."

The young man didn't dare to ask more questions for he knows that the princess wouldn't answer him. He proceeds outside the prison walls only to be met with more bewildering sceneries.

Old-fashioned people of the golden era, stables used as storage for barrels, and dozens of children walking upon the brick road, ever-fiddling with one another. Not even a single object belonging to his real era could be found.

He lays low, trying to avoid eye contact with the crowd. Every single one of them looks at Quartz with a very unusual face. His clothing is extremely different from what the people are wearing.

The kingdom is a maze of narrow winding streets, as complex as the heart. The streets are the veins, paved with ebony red stones, and the people are the blood. For men like Quartz, navigating is a breeze, as long as there are appropriate signages.

Once Quartz has arrived at the bathhouse, his eyes immediately marvel unto the tall pillars, abstract monuments, and of course, pristine cerulean waters. He notices how filthy he looks after his own reflection portrayed him by glancing at the water.

Quartz takes a step into the pool, the water is cold and frigid. Steadily his body shivers, following the movement of the water currents. With all his stamina, he tries to resist the frost, trying earnestly to clean off his filth. He cleans his apparel and dries it afterward. It is the only clothing that came with him upon his arrival on a world he isn't familiar with.

"What are you wearing?" Jupiter questions. Both of them met each other once more at the central plaza of the kingdom.

"I am certain that the people of my era would ask the same question if you were the one sent into an era you're quite unfamiliar with." The young man utters with an expressionless face.

"Fine. Anyways, just follow my lead. Don't negotiate with the people around you since I'm sure you haven't met them before." Jupiter instructs. The two of them then ambles to one of the fortress's tallest tower.

The tower rose as a might oak upon the concrete knoll. It is the most sincere of greys, with a deep slate-blue gradient. Every brick of that tower had been placed by the worker's hands forging a perfect cylinder. It rose as a strong stem of a plant, one from good rich soil.

"Sir Balthasar Bluemagic, the prisoner is with me." Jupiter knocks unto the wooden door on the very tip of the tower. Her voice seeps through the keyhole, catching the attention of the strange old man.

"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting. Good morning young gentleman, welcome to my abode." Balthasar opens the wooden doors, emitting a squeaky irritation.

"My business here is done, proceed to the main fortress once you're done here," Jupiter instructs. She walks down the staircase, leaving the young man and the peculiar old owner on the pinnacle of the tower.

Quartz is left speechless and stagnant. His body flinches due to the old man's peculiar look. The young man tries his best to avoid contact with his long beard. Quartz suspects Balthasar Bluemagic as a man with an age higher than a hundred...